Trends in Arrests and Incarcerations |
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| Harrison Narcotics Control Act (1914) initiates incarceration policy of illicit drug users. | |
Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2005:- 14,004,300 total arrests in United States, 2004
- 1,745,700 arrests for drug offenses (more than 12% of all arrests)
- 771,627 marijuana arrests (44% of all drug arrests)
- Drug arrests equivalent to number of arrests for murder, rape, robbery, burglary, and theft combined
- Between 1984 and 1999, drug charges in federal courts increase from 11,854 to 29,306
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Harrison & Beck, 2005:- 2,166,620 individuals incarcerated in U.S. in 2002
- Drug offenders compose 20.4% of adults in state prisons and 55% in federal prisons
- Between 1980 and 2001, number of drug offenders in prison increases by 1,300%
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Average Sentence Length (U.S. Dept. of Justice, 1995) - Murderers: 111 months
- Robbers: 94.6 months
- Drug traffickers: 82.5 months
- Rapists: 68.4 months
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Inequality in Application of Drug Laws: Prominent Examples
| Year
| Offender
| Drug
| Sentence Received
| Maximum Sentence
| | 1982 | Son of James Baker | Marijuana | $2,000 fine
| 2-20 years in prison
| | 1990 | Son of Dan Burton
| Marijuana | Community service, probation, house arrest
| Federal charges, prison
| | 1990 | Daughter of Dan Rostenkowski
| Cocaine
| 3 years probation, 20 hours public service, $2,800 fine
| 15 years in prison
| | 1992 | Nephew of John Ashcroft
| Marijuana
| Probation
| Prison
| | 1992 | Daughter of Dean Gallo
| Cocaine
| 5 years probation
| 5-10 years in prison for each of 20 charges
| 2002
| Niece of President George W. Bush
| Xanax
| 13 days in prison
| 5 years in prison, $5,000 fine
| | 2006 | Rush Limbaugh
| Prescription drugs
| Treatment
| 5 years in prison
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